Permanent Reminder
by chartwilightmom
Summary: FAGE 8 Soul Mates OS written for Blackdragon29, summary/prompt used: unplanned pregnancy after a one-night stand. BxE, AH/AU/OOC, M for language and adult situation.


FAGE 8:Soul Mates

Title: Permanent Reminder

Written for: Blackdragons29

Written By: chartwilightmom

Rating: M (of course)

Summary/Prompt used: unplanned pregnancy after a one-night stand

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AN: FAGE 8 Soul Mates OS written for Blackdragon29, super huge thanks to my mistress Vampiremama for using her red pen and beta'ing on this OS. For those of you who have read my other stuff, this is a bit different for me, hope you enjoy it. AH/AU/OOC/BxE

As I round the corner from my desk, I hear the undeniable signs of someone being sick in the bathroom. _Poor dear._ Assuming it is a client, I give them their privacy and move over to the prep station to grab the next patient file. Flipping open the file, I can't help but grin, thinking the lady in misery behind the closed door is just starting her journey of motherhood.

Motherhood. Funny word to describe what the female race has to go through in producing offspring, like whoever created that word wanted to make it sound like a pleasant journey.

Being pregnant in _this_ world is anything but pleasant.

Sometime at the turn of the century, the population grew wildly out of control, quickly reducing the resources to supply the planet. Within just a few decades there were more people starving and less being productive. Crime was increasing and it was only a matter of time before something had to be done. Those that were in power came up with _their_ solution. The world governments instituted a mandatory implanted microchip in all females at the time of their birth, instant population control.

The chip was simple, a female could not get pregnant without the chip being turned off, and it was always under government control. Birth control as a pill or a patch or any other form was gone. And if that wasn't bad enough, the regulations only gave a female a ten-year period in which to attempt reproduction. Each female has to go through an approval process for the chip to be turned off. between the ages of 18 and 28, and only after approval could the chip be turned off under supervised conditions for conception.

Talk about pressure.

The regulations didn't stop there; they go on and on, making it almost impossible to get approval much less becoming pregnant. From what I have learned, it takes a minimum of three years of the allotted ten to those that apply just to receive approval.

And don't even think about having more than two children. You have to reapply each time you want to attempt conception.

A hundred years later, the population is back under control, our world shrinking beyond anyone's imagination, leaving the largest population as the highest economic advantage.

The government shows no signs of reversing the regulations.

Women began dying, trying to remove the chip; there seemed to be no way to get around having the implant.

That was when a silent movement began.

It was shortly after that my sister and I were born.

No chips.

No rules.

Free.

And according to the government—dangerous.

We could get pregnant at any point after reaching puberty, making it not only dangerous for the government to have no control over our reproduction but dangerous if we are discovered.

That is why we are careful, waiting for the time to come to return to our families and continue the natural cycle of creation. Unfortunately, our family is miles away from us, in a compound in the mountains, keeping undisclosed. Lack of communication makes it worse. We miss them but understand there are reasons why we are here, living amongst the general population.

Even if we don't know all of those reasons.

The only thing I know about our birth is that we were born, and had no chip implanted. The details have always been withheld from us. When I was just ten years old, my sister and I were blindfolded and removed, sent miles away from the mountains, to live and grow with the rest of the population.

Guess the less you know…

So we keep our secret, as those in our family, the silent movement, continue to and carefully they create a new population of able-bodied females, ready to reproduce and be free to do with what we want.

That is where I find myself today, coincidentally working at a birthing clinic, Hale and Associates, helping those that have received _authorization_ to _breed_ , making the process of reproduction scientific and cold.

Not that any of these privileged people know any difference.

I am halfway through scanning over the records when the bathroom door quietly opens.

One look at the pale faced, sickly looking, petite woman, I can't help but gasp, "Alice".

"Oh, god!" she cries, rushing back into the bathroom and as another round of retching begins. I take a deep breath and move to the bathroom door to see my co-worker, my sister, on her knees heaving as she clings to the toilet.

"Alice, are you sick?" I ask closing the door behind me. I move to grab a paper towel, wetting with cool water and place it on her neck.

Alice slowly calms, moving to sit on the floor, leaning back against the bathroom wall. "Bella, I'm pregnant," she whispers.

"Excuse me? What the hell did you just say?" I whisper yell.

She stretches out her leg and reaches into her pocket to hand me one of our testing strips. "Oh fuck."

She laughs, and then sniffles as she starts to cry.

"How? I mean I know how, but when? Who?"

If this is true, Alice and I will have to leave quickly, quietly, going directly to our family's compound in the mountains, never to return to civilization again. Her baby will grow up never knowing who their father is.

At some point I considered that we would both want to start a family, actually decide when we wanted to, with who and how many. I just assumed it would be down the road, and most likely back within the safety of our family.

Well, you know what they say about people who _ass_ ume.

"I can't talk about this here. After work, I promise." I can see the panic in her eyes, the fear of all the things going through her head.

The same fears I have.

"Work? How the hell do you expect me to work when you drop a bombshell on me like this?"

"Well, one of us is going to have to work," she states before dry heaving again.

~PR~

It is a long afternoon covering for Alice as she stays in the bathroom I mask my internal fears, praying that I pull off an award winning acting performance.

As I drive Alice and myself home, I silently reflect on all the options, the decisions and steps we will have to take now. _Protocol._ The strong protectiveness that I have always had for Alice, arising to the surface, threatening to rip out of my skin and put her in a bubble and protect her from what will have to happen next. Once I have her settled on the couch and get her some lemon tea, I sit next to her to hear her story.

"Spill."

"So."

"So?" I say, trying to keep my frustration out of my voice. Alice isn't normally like this. She is the peppy one of our friends, the one that talks non-stop about celebrities, shopping and the latest scrubs patterns available for work.

She sighs before speaking. "Bella, don't get mad. I know you are going to be mad, so just promise me that you won't do anything—rash." Yeah, that's right, I'm the _aggressive_ one.

"I don't know what you are talking about," I say, denying my slight anger issues when it comes to protecting my friends and family.

Alice levels me with a stare, and I know I can't play dumb with her. "Okay, I promise."

Her head lowers, small sniffles are the only sounds I hear from her.

I move to wrap my arm around her small shoulders, "Ali, you are really scaring me. Tell me."

"Okay," she whispers. "I've been stalking this guy, Jazz."

With the mention of his name, I hear the longing in her voice.

"He works near the office and I have seen him at the café at lunch. But as usual, he never notices me. So after failing attempts at speaking to him, I finally followed him back to his work."

"Okay, that's not so bad." Alice has always been one for obsessions, makes me wonder if addictions are an inherited trait.

"Then I cyber stalked him, finding out everything there is to know about him. His career, his address, education, and…I might have run a background check."

"Alice, what the hell were you thinking?"

She takes a deep breathe before continuing, "B, that isn't the worst."

 _Oh fuck!_

I remain quiet, my inner voice screaming at Alice at the level she has taken this _obsession_ with this Jazz guy. I knew she went off the rails a little every now and then, but _this_ is very unlike Alice.

"I found out he frequents this 'bar' and decided to check it out."

The hairs on my neck tingle, "What kind of 'bar'?"

"A biker bar."

 _Well, that's not too bad. Maybe he wears too much spandex and has helmet hair._

"It is way outside the city, the kind where the certain gangs hang out, where the police salivate at arresting someone."

"Fuck, Ali! You willingly put yourself in danger!"

"You don't understand. This guy, I can't explain it Bella, I had to have him."

"Have him? Are you delusional? Are you taking drugs? Geeze, Ali. How did I not know about this?" I rant, standing and starting to pace.

She starts to cry, nearing a hysterical sob; tears flowing freely down her pale cheeks.

"Oh, God. I'm sorry, Ali. I'm just so confused and worried and now, you're—pregnant." Instantly I am by her side again, giving her comfort.

We both sit there, my arms tightly wrapped around Alice's shaking form.

"I changed my appearance, dolled myself up to look like…" she whispers.

She doesn't need to explain, I know my sister, and I know her dramatic side.

"It didn't take him long to notice me this time. After a few drinks, he took me out back. We made out for what seemed like hours, before things escalated."

I gasp, hoping I do not hear a certain four-letter word come out of her mouth.

"We fucked right there against the wall."

 _Whew! At least he didn't force himself on her._

"I know what you are thinking, B. I have a few lovers, but nothing to make me _experienced_. It was a thrill, dressing up like that, seeking him out, and a rush to finally be with Jazz and then how, oh God, so hot, straight out of porno. I know now, I really wasn't thinking about the after affects."

She looks down, her hand immediately going to her flat stomach.

"That makes two of you."

"We were, at least I thought we were being completely safe. He wore a condom."

"Then how did you get up pregnant?"

She sighs, looking at me with glassy eyes, "I guess the condom broke."

~PR~

I find out over the next few hours of talking how deep Alice's obsession with this Jazz guy has gone. She said she was in deep, which was the truth. After listening to her, my viewpoint is that _this_ Alice is the one who has fallen down the rabbit hole, ate from both sides of the mushroom and sat with the worm smoking from his hookah.

It started six months ago.

She hasn't seen him since their one night, which happened four weeks ago.

She is scared to tell him, let alone what her future will be now.

I tell her she is not alone. I will help her and get her through this, regardless of what we have to do now.

Just as soon, as I go find this Jazz and kick his ass.

After I help Alice to bed, I find her phone and start searching. It isn't long before I have his face burned into my memory, his wavy blond hair making me hate him even more. _No boy should have that great head of hair with that natural hair color. It's not fair!_

"Oh my," I say to myself, flipping through all her stalking pictures, amazed and somewhat proud of her level of obsession.

And a sliver of jealously.

Putting a few things together and tracking her map history, I find out he works at the nearby tattoo shop. Making sure that Alice is still asleep, I grab my stuff and head out.

It is evening, the dark sky illuminated by the streetlights and the businesses that are alive with customers at this hour. The drive is short to the tattoo shop, the neon sign directing me exactly where I want to go.

The ding of the bell alerts the inattentive man behind the counter. He is hunched over, apparently looking at the screen on the desk, speedily scrolling through whatever he is veiwing.

"Be with you in a minute," he says, his head still down.

I take the time to look around, trying to figure out the best way to handle the situation with this Jazz guy. Do I confront and tell him what is going on, or go right for the fight. As I am thinking I take in the interior, I notice the couches along the waiting area. There are pictures along the walls, images of tattoos from the artist that work here, along with various groups of pictures of the same four people. Pictured are three guys, one I recognize as Jazz, along with one female who is sporting full colorful sleeves on both arms.

Out of the three men, one looks like he could be Jazz's brother, same blond hair, similar facial features and as I can see clearly now through up close pictures of Jazz, the same blue eyes. But it is the third man with them that catches and holds my attention.

He is very handsome, taller than the others, messy copper hair, ink visible along his upper arms, the smile on his face bringing a smile to my own.

"How can I help you? Looking for some ink?" a smooth voice asks from behind me. Turning around, I am brought face-to-face with the handsome man in the picture.

"Fuck," I mumble, realizing how much more handsome he is in person.

"Excuse me?" he asks.

"Um, sorry. Hi," I start, trying to clear my head and remember my task. "I'm Bella."

He lightly laughs. "Edward."

Suddenly the air is heady, his beautiful face so close to mine it is overwhelming. I don't know what is happening, but I know it is another added weight to all that has happened in the last seven hours.

Immediately, I decide to change tactics, "Yes, I want to get a small tattoo."

 _Shit! I already have one, and if he sees it, he will know._

He looks at my face, searching for sincerity or something else that he needs, before his eyes roam down, taking in my plain appearance: jeans, t-shirt, and a zipper hoodie.

He smiles.

I smile.

The seconds tick by, my focus solely on his eyes, watching the moss green swirls, soft and inviting, and I'm lost in trying to figure out what is drawing me to Edward.

"Sure, Bella. Do you know what you want?" he asks, his voice low.

 _I want you!_

"Um, a heart?" I dumbly answer. Then I turn to look at the albums on the coffee table, taking one and thumbing quickly through it until I land on a simple heart with an infinity symbol woven through it.

"This one," I say pointing only to find Edward closer, standing right behind me, looking over my shoulder at the image.

My heart starts to beat so loudly that I can hear it in my ears, and I wonder if he can hear the blood pumping through my veins. Emotions I have never had before for a male are spiking, driving lust and want to levels I didn't know I had.

"I can't wait to get my hands on you," he whispers.

 _Gulp!_

"Come with me," he says, taking the book from my hands, placing it back down and grabbing my hand and pulling me towards a tattoo station. Before I know it, I am lying down on a padded table, watching Edward pull everything together for my tattoo. He looks back and forth between his tasks, and me each time sending waves of some magic he is wielding in my direction.

"Where?"

I pull up my left side of my hoodie and shirt, exposing the unmarked skin above my pelvic bone. "Here." I am careful not to lift any higher, to show the ink already there that marks my skin, the black swan that represents my family, and the silent movement.

After he is done prepping he rolls his chair over, leaning in and examining my skin, his hot breath blanketing the area, leaving a wake of goosebumps behind. His bare fingers graze, causing my reaction to him to double, my breath increases and my focus of why I came here long gone.

If I thought being touched by his bare hands wasn't enough, once he has the vibrations of his gun and needle on my skin, I am done for.

The buzz.

The air.

My pulse is racing with the sting of the needle, the ink sinking into my skin and permanently marking me.

I look as he concentrates on his job, keeping the needle steady as it vibrates, tracing the pattern. His face is calm and tranquil; I focus on the angles of his face, the lines that run from ear to ear, sharp but smooth with the hint of stubble starting to grow, the hair a mixture of blonds and reds under the lights.

"Tell me, why do you want this?" His question has so many meanings right now, this very night, after learning my sister is pregnant and her story of the one night stand, coming here with one set of intentions, only to meet him and be thrown off my initial path of confrontation.

"I want to remember, to be reminded."

"Of what?"

"Everything." And it hits me at that moment that the love I have for my family, for the memories of the life that I have led over the years away from them, everything that has brought me to this moment, can be in this ink as my reminder—infinite love.

"It's my permanent reminder."

We are silent has he wipes and finishes, glazes it, and covers with a gauze and tape.

"All done."

No sooner than the words leave his mouth than the bell from the front door dings, breaking the bubble that we have been in for the past hour.

"Ed!" The voice comes from behind the partition separating his work area from the front.

"Hang on, Jay, just finishing up," Edward answers.

Edward continues to clean up, his hands moving back and forth from his workstation to the table, always touching me in some small way. I watch in fascination between where the new ink lies underneath the bandage, touching where he was, and Edward going about his tasks.

Just as he is done, he stands and places his hand out to help me down off the table, my own slipping easily into his. Standing in front of him, I have to look up and for some reason I still can't stop staring, and neither can he.

"Ed," the male voice calls again, this time closer. I turn to see the source, only to be looking at Jazz. He is up close and in person, not some tiny image from Alice's phone. His blond hair is almost white under the harsh lights of the shop; his blue eyes almost the color of arctic ice. He looks like any other guy that would work in a tattoo shop, visible skin showing signs of charred ink. The only exception to his normal appearance is the dark circles under his eyes

"Hey, Jay," Edward starts, turning us so that I am behind him. "I'll be with you in a minute."

Jazz looks at me, the majority of my body hidden protectively behind Edward. I can tell he is curious about me or about what is going on, but what strikes me the most is the unsure vibe about himself. Something I didn't think would be representative of him. "Yeah, sure." He leaves us and makes his way back to the front.

Suddenly, it hits me what I need to do.

"Um, I guess I need to pay you."

Edward tenses, but he never stops watching me, looking at me, exploring my face, again, for something.

"Can I get your number, Bella? I would like to take you out sometime."

 _He wants to see me?_

Damn, how I want to see him again, to examine and discover what this draw is between us. A million thoughts rush through my head, scenarios on how this could go. I can see us on a date, my smiling and laughing, gently touching his arm in a simple sign of affection, then progressing to a heated, toe curling good night kiss, as well as some random far off dream of us snuggled in bed together, a little baby boy nestled in between us. But it is the buzz of my phone in my hoodie pocket that brings me back to the present.

I pull it out and see a message from Alice waiting for me. "I don't know if that would be a good idea. There might be a chance I will be leaving town."

His brow creases before he speaks. "Please." His other hand reaches to cup my cheek, and it takes everything in me not to reach up on my toes and kiss his ever so kissable lips.

Breaking the constant connection visually between us, I close my eyes and lower my head, wishing everything could be different right now. But his touch, this exhilarating interest between us, causes me to answer the way I shouldn't.

"Okay. Give me your phone."

~PR~

Time is a blur after leaving the shop. Jazz was silent as he watched Edward and I interact. I felt his eyes burning a hole in the back of my head as I thanked Edward, paid him and left. Even with the uncomfortable glares from Jazz, Edward and I continue to stare at each other. I am just pulling into the parking space at the apartment when I remember about the message on my phone from Alice.

 _Where are you!? Come home ASAP!_

Normally I would just blow Alice off and her dramatics, and not freak out about whatever is going on with her by rushing home in a panic. But after today, I know I need to tread lightly when I step into the apartment, that this time, the drama is real.

I feel like I made the right decision in not confronting Jazz, he already looked miserable and I can only imagine how he would have responded if I challenged him.

"Alice, I'm home." I say walking in and placing my stuff on the front table, before making my way through to the living room.

Stepping into the room, instantly, I am shocked. Sitting on the couch with Alice is none other than our boss, Dr. Rosalie Hale. Alice is sporting a simple grin, doing her best to look like herself and not the panic-laced inside that I know she really is.

I know she is, because now I feel exactly the same.

"Dr. Hale, what brings you by this evening?" I screw on my best friendly face, in attempt to keep calm.

"Bella, so glad you made it home, please have a seat. I would like to talk to the both of you."

 _Shit! This can't be good._

"I know," she starts. "I know what happened in the office today."

Alice and I remain silent, stealing quick glances at each other.

"Do you actually think I don't know what goes on when I am with a patent or in my office? Please, I hope you think I am smarter than that. There are eyes and ears everywhere, not many places in the world you can hide these days."

Turning to Alice, she is gentle as she addresses her directly. "Alice, I know you must be scared, being pregnant. But this is an opportunity for all of us. I want to know everything about the father, and how this happened. I want to help you with your pregnancy, and most importantly, I want to be there to help you give birth."

We stay silent.

Then Dr. Hale looks at me. "Bella, I know you are scared right now, that you want to take Alice and run, but let me assure you, there is no place for you to go."

My mind starts working, trying to figure out how much she knows about us, but from the words I want to assume that she doesn't know about our family or the fact that Alice and I were born without the implant and she is coming to the conclusion that Alice's pregnancy is an anomaly, not that neither of us have the chip.

"Dr. Hale," I start.

"Please, call me Rose."

"Rose, I'm not sure what you want from us."

"I want to help you."

"But…"

"But nothing. I have seen the controlled way my whole life, my whole career. I want to see changes and I think this is just the start of that change."

I want to tell her what is really going on, who we are, that this has been going on for a while, and why Alice is pregnant, but I am scared, unsure if we are being setup or what could happen if we truly expose ourselves.

"We have to think about this. Could we talk to you tomorrow?"

"Yes, sleep on it, don't make any rash decisions."

 _Ha! Rash decisions. That train left the station already._

As I show her the front door, I open it to find Edward pacing on the other side.

"Edward?"

He nervously looks between Rose and me before speaking, "Bella, I'm sorry to interrupt. Could I speak with you?"

Before I can respond, Rose is touching me gently on the shoulder, "Bella, I'll be in touch tomorrow."

I watch as she coolly strides out the door and down the hall, disappearing in the stairwell. There is something about the way she talked, a hint of desperation in her voice, only making me more curious of her true intensions.

"Bella," Edward says, stepping into my personal bubble, his hand going to touch the same shoulder Rose just touched.

"Yeah, come in." I want to hide the excitement at seeing him again so soon, to have him near me, but I know that we need to talk, learn more about each other. However, with the decision of whether Alice and I will stay or go looming over us, maybe letting him in wasn't the best idea.

 _Oh hell! Just go with it._

He follows closely as I lead us back to the living room, only to find Alice curled in on herself with her knees to her chest. She looks up at us with watery eyes.

"You _do_ have a sister," Edward whispers behind me.

"How did you know?"

"Jay, he swore after you left that you looked just like this lady he met, maybe a sister. He's been looking for her ever since that one night. I told him I would talk to you."

"How did you know where I lived?"

"Um, I tracked your phone using your number."

"Oh." I should not be shocked he could easily do something like that; with our technology anyone with some skills can track anyone from just the use of their cell phone number. It only reminds me that we should have been more careful about being tracked, about whom we give our numbers to.

"I'm sorry." He looks sheepish apologizing, but quickly I catch a smirk as he bows his head.

"Don't be." I take his hand in mine, steering us to Alice. "Edward, this is my sister, Alice." Something about Edward makes me want to tell him everything, to be honest and open. I want to be an open book for him.

"Nice to meet you, Alice."

Ignoring us, she gives a huff and starts to rock on her spot on the couch as she gazes off in a daze.

"Now you know I have a sister."

He sighs as I turn to look at him, his focus on Alice, a puzzling look as though he is trying to solve the mystery that is my sister. I pull his hand and bring him to the kitchen.

"Why is Jay looking for this _lady_?" I know the answer, but I don't want to go into accusing or explaining the truth just yet.

"I think he's in love with her."

 _Gasp!_

"And you think this lady is my sister?"

"Jay does."

Taking a leap of faith in Edward, I whisper part of the truth. "Yes, Alice is the lady he mentioned. She met him at a biker bar a month ago. I just found out that she knows him earlier tonight. That is why I was in the tattoo shop; I wanted to talk to him. What does Jay want with her?"

"He just wanted to know where she was, see her again. He's hurting."

I remember the dark circles under his eyes, the distress that was evident on his face.

"This is complicated. I can't really connect him to her without talking to her first. Give me a minute, okay?" Placing my hand on his warm, stubbly face, I lean up and give him a quick kiss on his cheek, touching the edge of his soft lips. It would only take a turn of his head to set our already ignitable chemistry into a full on make-out session.

~PR~

Talking to Alice sends her into a greater panic than she was already edging on. I assist her back to bed, tucking her in after she clings to me tightly crying. I feel scared, more scared than I have ever been. The future, so unsure, and know with added levels of risks of Jazz wanting to find her as well as Rose knowing that Alice is pregnant, dread fills my body.

I quietly leave Alice as she drifts to sleep and make my way back through the house, only to find Edward in the living room, looking over the pictures on the wall.

"You were a cute teenager."

"Thanks."

His finger runs over my face, in a picture of Alice and myself in high school. We are happy and smiling, ignorant to the world that we really live in or the one that we came from. "Bella, is Alice okay?"

I sigh, "She will be, today was really difficult for us."

It has always been 'us'. Growing up, we were always together, like peas in a pod. And since we have been away from our family, Alice and I have never been a part from each other than the random sleepover growing up or long days doing our own things.

Edward wraps me in his arms, and I feel comfortable and safe even with my life turning upside down, like I can make it through whatever happens next.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No, I just want to stay right here."

My arm naturally fits around him, settling above his waist as his arms hold me securely, his hands flattening against my back. Taking in a deep breath, I settle closer to him, inhaling his manly scent, and relax.

His hands start to rub my back, making a square circuit, pressing me and removing all space left between us. As his hands reach the top of my back, they slide into the hair at the base of my neck, rubbing with the perfect amount of pressure.

"Hmm."

His kisses start at the top of my head, moving to my temple, gentle and welcoming. My head naturally tilts up, meeting his jaw, giving him a few kisses of my own. His lips are softer than I thought possible as we finally kiss. With his hands on my neck, he turns our faces into opposite directions, deepening with open mouths and languid tongues.

The kiss seems to last forever, our mouths bonding collectively, and his hands split between my neck and my lower back. I am melting into this kiss, feeling connected to Edward like I have never been before. There is no hurrying, but the passion is there; I feel it.

 _Speaking of feeling things._

With painstaking will, I slow our kiss and separate, as Edward's mouth continues a path to my neck.

"Edward."

"Hmm."

He applies open mouth kisses, sucking and licking, sending strong waves of passion through my veins. We move, ending up on the couch, myself sitting on Edward's lap. He slows, pulling back and focusing on my face, staring directly at me.

"Bella," he whispers.

A small giggle escapes my lips, "Edward."

"I like you. I hope you know that."

"I might have a little idea," I say with another small giggle.

He gooses my side, making me laugh again.

"I want to know everything about you."

"You first." Even though he is the first person I want to open up to, I think it might be better to wait. Hearing about him, about his life is the next best thing.

"The good or the bad?"

"Both?"

"I snore, and I hog the blankets."

I giggle.

 _When did I turn into such a girly girl?_

He gives me a quick kiss. "I like the taste of your lips."

"Yours aren't so bad either."

"That man in the shop you saw, Jay, is Jasper, my cousin. But he has always been like a brother to me. When we were eight his parents died in a car crash, and my father, his uncle, adopted him and my parents raised us together," he stops, thinking to himself, "Our mom and dad live here, where we were both born and grew up. They have a bakery on the other side of town."

Without a second thought, I ask the next question. "Siblings getting the approval to both have kids and succeed?"

He pauses before answering, a question I am sure he has been asked before; the rarity of their situation unique.

"Yes, they were both blessed."

I can only imagine for a regular person, one not from wealth, how rare it must be to not only have one child but to have their sibling conceive, a blessing indeed.

"What about you? You have a sister."

"I do. But it's complicated."

He looks puzzled. "Isn't that why females have the chip? To remove the complications?"

It is now or never, to expose not only myself but also Alice. At this point I feel like there is no turning back, major changes will be happening soon with or without this confession.

Regardless, I want Edward to know.

I move to sit beside him. "That's the thing," I start, taking a deep breath and steeling myself. "We don't have the chip." The last part I whisper, never having said the words aloud.

"Excuse me? Did you just say that you don't have the chip?"

"Yes. Alice and I were born and never had the chip implanted."

"But how?"

"I don't know. That's the thing. We were kept in the dark about the how events happened. We never talk about it with each other, and you are the only person I have ever told."

Hope swells within me, wanting him to grasps the seriousness of this information.

He leans forward and gives me an innocent sweet kiss, followed by a smile that lets me know he understands.

We talk until I fall asleep in his arms, learning many things about each other. I leave out details that I remember about my family, as well as Alice and her pregnancy. I know we are in our own bubble right now and it is only a matter of time before it pops and I will have inform Edward about everything.

I wish I could stay in this bubble.

~PR~

"B," Alice whispers while pushing on my shoulder. I open my eyes to see her red-rimmed ones staring back at me. "What are you doing?"

I move to stretch, only to remember that I am lying on top of Edward, his strong arms wrapped around me, holding me securely.

"Sleeping," I respond.

"On him?" she says louder this time, almost her normal speaking voice.

Edward grumbles below me, his chest vibrating, "I like her here."

I smile, giggle and bury my face back into his chest.

"B."

"Ali, give us just a minute. Okay?"

"Sure, but just a minute." My eyes snap back to hers, the tone of her voice is serious and I have a sinking feeling that she has been thinking, coming to a conclusion that she is ready to talk to me about.

One minute turns into ten, and I finally find myself without Edward for the first time in hours as he freshens up in the bathroom. Alice and I are sitting at the kitchen table, the smell of freshly brewed coffee filling the air around us.

"I've made a decision," she starts, her voice even more strong and confident.

"I can see. What did you decide, Ali?"

"I want to go home."

I stay silent, letting her choice soak up, filling in the gaps that I don't have to ask her.

She knows I will go with her.

Even if it means leaving Edward.

"When do we leave?"

"You're leaving?" Edward's voice penetrates the kitchen. Turning I find Edward standing in the doorway, looking back and forth between Alice and myself.

With strength I didn't know I had, I stand and move to Edward, taking his hands in mine.

"Alice is pregnant. We don't have a choice, we have to leave and go back to our family."

"No! I can't let you leave now. We just started. I don't want that to end. I know damn well that you don't either."

"I don't have a choice, Edward, Alice is my sister."

Before he can respond, there is a knock at the front door as well as Alice's cell phone starts to ring. Alice takes her phone, walking back to her room and shutting the door.

Another knock.

Edward lets my hand go as I answer the door, only to find Jasper on the other side.

 _Oh, this is not going to be good._

"I would like to talk to her, to Alice," he says, his eyes darting around the apartment.

"She's on the phone right now, and I don't think she wants to talk to you."

"Let her speak for herself," he insists.

Edward plants himself in front of me, "Jay, I think it would be best to give her some time."

Instantly, his face is red, nostrils flaring, and I know that Jasper looks like he is about to explode. He wants answers, only to talk to Alice.

But that isn't going to happen right now.

"Bella, who was at the door?" Alice voices, walking back down the hall.

I tense as well as Edward.

"Well, well well. Look who decided to join us," Jasper snears.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Alice shoots back.

"I'm here to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk. I want you to leave."

Their glares are harsh, like each of them trying to shoot laser beans at each other. I look back and forth, my hand clutched tightly in Edward's, waiting for one of them to attack.

"Bella, Rose is coming with us. It's time we start making arrangements."

She turns and gracefully leaves the room.

"What the hell is going on?" Jasper asks Edward.

"It's complicated," he responds, turning to look at me. I can see the question in his eyes, he wants to tell Jasper.

"Not here," I whisper.

"I'll call you later," he says, holding my face and kissing me thoroughly.

Within minutes, I find myself alone in the kitchen, staring at the hallway where Edward walked away from me.

~PR~

A knock at the door causes us both to jump.

I wonder who is on the other side of that door. Could it be Edward? Jasper? Someone who found out what is happening, that Alice is pregnant and come to take us away? With everything that we have been through, having hope is something we haven't thought about.

I don't want to think bad things, but we have been so lucky this week with our packing and quick decisions about our lives. Even with the looking over our shoulder constantly, waiting for some black van to pull up and drag us in and throw hoods over our heads.

Then when with each step toward the door, I start to let in a little hope.

Hope started to build that afternoon after Edward left. He called me, and we talked. There were questions on what our plans were, the steps that we are going to take to close our lives here and move back with our family.

I spoke.

He listened.

My heart broke before it even got to really love.

Then the next day when he called, he said something that I didn't think I would ever hear. He asked what if he came with me?

More hope.

That same hope is in my heart, which is racing by the time I reach the door, peeking quickly to see who it is.

 _Edward! Jasper!_

I rush to pull open the door and fling myself into Edward's arms, holding on for dear life. He squeezes me, lifting me up off the ground and walking us into the almost bare apartment.

"Shh, baby, I'm here."

Tears of relief fall from my eyes, not only from the appearance of Edward but Jasper too.

And just like that, I know everything will be all right.

When my emotions finally calm down, I pull back to see a most welcoming smile on both their faces, confirming my thought.

"Does this mean what I think it means?" I whisper.

"Hell yeah."

Looking to Jasper, he seems wary and almost shy. "And you?"

"I want to try."

Edward lets me down and I move to stand in front of Jasper. "To me, Alice is delicate, breakable, and we have been through so much this week. But she cares for you somehow," I pause, trying to convey my worry for her, my protectiveness. "She's my sister and if you ever hurt her, you don't have to think twice about what I will do to you."

He cringes at my words; I hope that thoughts of his missing body parts are floating through his mind. No matter if he is the father of my unborn niece or nephew, I will protect them first—always.

Stepping back to Edward, Jasper takes quiet steps to the living room. Instead of following, wanting to see the reunion my sister deserves, I let them have their space.

They haven't talked or seen each other since that day that she declared we were leaving, but I have talked to her about him, letting her know the little things that I learned from Edward. Hoping that her stubbornness might ease and she would let him in a little.

After all, he is the father of her child.

The living room is mostly quiet, the murmurs of their discussion the only sound emanating.

With Alice and Jasper finally talking, I find myself plastered to Edward in the kitchen, embraced in his arms, quick kisses, explanations of what he has been up to, how he came to the conclusion to come with us.

They fought, they argued.

Edward was ready to leave with me, without Jasper.

After Jasper realized what he would be losing, not only Edward, but the chance to be a father, he slowly made the decision to come with us.

They gave the business to a friend.

They said goodbye to those that they loved, mainly Edward's parents.

And now, here they are.

"Bella, I couldn't let you leave. Not without me. I don't know how, or why, but I guess I'm not supposed to figure that part out. I just know I have to be with you, wherever that may be."

"I'm overjoyed that you are here, knowing how brave you are to up and leave everything, just to follow me. I will do everything, every day to let you know how grateful I am that you are with me, that you chose me."

I want to say those three words lingering in my mind, but I know this is not the right time. If I am honest with myself, they have been there since I first laid eyes on Edward in his shop, but became louder as we have gotten to know each other. There are things we still need to learn, but the foundation is there. We know that we want each other; we are in this for the duration. Now we are just starting that journey.

With the apartment silent, I close up and turn off the last light, leading Edward to my almost empty bedroom. He holds me in him arms before we settled into my bed. Lying next to him, feels natural, just as it did that first night.

Shirtless, Edward faces me lying down, a dim light from outside my window the only thing illuminating us. I spot a tattoo over his heart. It is an intricate B with designs all around it; swirls of flowers and art deco incorporated with a duplicate of my new heart design that adorns my own skin.

"What's this one?"

Edward is covered with ink on his arms, a few on his back but this is the only one on his chest. He started sharing the stories behind each one during our chatting over this past week, sending me pictures on my phone to go along with the stories.

I don't recall him showing me this one.

"It's you."

"Me?"

 _Gulp._

"I knew I had to add some ink, to remind me of you."

I trace the ink, feeling the scabs and the still freshly inked flesh.

"Edward…" Words fail me, his dedication that he has already shown just by being here, and now this beautiful gesture.

Unshed tears fill my eyes as I look at his face.

He takes my hand that is tracing the design, kissing it before placing it even on his heart, over the ink. "You are my everything now, and I don't want to miss any memories with you."

I kiss him soundly, lost to the warmth that my heart holds for this man, for everything that he is sacrificing for us. We have a new future ahead with our choice to make some permanent reminders of our very own.


End file.
